More than 60 Microsoft employees from the Sammamish Campus joined the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust in ongoing restoration efforts on Issaquah Creek at Lake Sammamish State Park on May 20. This year’s restoration efforts will nearly complete ecological restoration of the northern side of Issaquah Creek in the park (stretching from the mouth of the creek to the Microsoft Campus nearly 1 mile) and Microsoft’s work will prepare the site for important plantings this fall.

The Greenway Trust and Washington State Parks have worked together to restore more than 50 acres of streamside, lakeshore and wetland habitat in the park since 2005. Volunteers have contributed more than 22,000 hours of service removing invasive weeds and planting thousands of native trees and shrubs. The efforts helped restore habitat for fish and wildlife (including threatened Chinook salmon) which live in or migrate through the park.

The efforts in the park compliment City of Issaquah and King County restoration projects further upstream improving the overall ecological health of the entire Issaquah Creek Basin. The project is funded with support from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, the King Conservation District, Federal Express and Carter Motors.